Legislative Assembly 7031 22 February 1994 TUESDAY, 22 FEBRUARY 1994 Officials in Parliament Act— Administrative Arrangements Order 1994. Mr SPEAKER (Hon. J. Fouras, Ashgrove) PAPER read prayers and took the chair at 10 a.m. The following paper was laid on the table— Minister for Lands (Mr Smith)— STATUTORY INSTRUMENTS Foreign Ownership of Land Register— Annual Report for 1992-93 In accordance with the schedule circulated by the Clerk to members in the Chamber, the Ordered to be printed. following documents were tabled— Acts Interpretation Act— MINISTERIAL STATEMENT Administrative Arrangements Order 1994 Queensland Economic Review Building and Construction Industry (Portable Hon K. E. De LACY (Cairns— Treasurer) Long Service Leave) Act— (10.01 a.m.), by leave: Last week, in outlining to Building and Construction Industry the House the outcome of the mid-year Budget (Portable Long Service Leave) Amendment review, I referred to indications of a Regulation (No. 1) 1994, No. 51 strengthening economy. I made particular Cemetery Act— mention of improving business investment in Cemetery (Gympie Cemetery) Amendment Queensland. Rule (No. 1) 1994, No. 49 I am pleased to report that confirmation of a City of Brisbane Market Act— stronger than forecast business investment City of Brisbane Market (Accommodation) performance is contained in the December Regulation 1994, No. 46 quarter edition of the Queensland Economic Clean Air Act— Review, copies of which will be circulated to all Clean Air Amendment Regulation (No. 1) honourable members today. Business 1994, No. 53 investment has been making a renewed positive Clean Air (Ozone Depleting Substances) contribution to the State's economic growth in Regulation 1994, No. 52 recent quarters. Latest Treasury estimates show Clean Waters Act— that business investment in the year to Clean Waters Amendment Regulation (No. September 1993 grew by 22 per cent, or twice 1) 1994, No. 54 the national rate of growth. The strong performer Constitution Act— was equipment investment, up an incredible 33.9 per cent. Administrative Arrangements Order 1994 Honourable members will recall that, during Co–operative and Other Societies Act— 1992-93, business investment in general, and Co–operative and Other Societies equipment investment in particular, was the Amendment Regulation (No. 1) 1994, No. 45 weak link in an otherwise strong economic performance. The State's share of national Education (Capital Assistance) Act— business investment now stands at 16.4 per Education (Capital Assistance) Regulation cent, up from 14.9 per cent a year ago and the 1994, No. 48 State's highest share since December 1987. Proclamation—provisions of the Act that The State's share of total investment, technically are not in force commence 18 February referred to as private fixed capital expenditure, is 1994, No. 47 even higher at 19.3 per cent—up from 18.5 per Health Act— cent a year ago and the highest total share since Poisons Amendment Regulation (No. 1) June 1984, a decade ago—reflecting very 1994, No. 50 strong levels of investment in housing. The National Parks and Wildlife Act— contribution to overall investment from housing National Park 127 County of Canning is expected to ease back during 1994, but the (Extension and Exclusion) Order 1994, No. signs are that business investment will take up 58 much of the slack. National Park 573 Counties of Carlisle and As reported in the Queensland Economic Hillalong (Extension and Exclusion) Order Review, surveys of investor intentions indicate 1994, No. 57 that firms are upgrading their equipment National Park 1353 County of Nares investment plans. However, most anticipate that (Exclusion) Order 1994, No. 56 the increase will be gradual. Treasury also 22 February 1994 7032 Legislative Assembly expects non-residential investment in conducted a number of air quality monitoring Queensland to continue to exhibit solid growth. programs in the Gladstone region. It operates A good pointer to growth in this area is the non- those programs at four sites—in Friend Street, at residential construction approvals figures the airport, at Yarwun and at the South collated by the ABS. These show that approvals Gladstone Primary School—which record a in the December quarter of 1993 totalled variety of air quality data on an hourly basis. My $504m, which is 91 per cent higher than a year department produces a monthly report on those earlier. results, which is available to the public. According to the Queensland Economic The results of those tests, the earliest of Review, Queensland accounted for 24.5 per which began in 1979, show that the air quality in cent of the value of national approvals, with the Gladstone region has consistently been strong growth in hotels, shops, offices and within national guidelines. As well as our regular entertainment and recreation facilities. Important monitoring, the Department of Environment and public sector projects such as the Brisbane Heritage— International Airport have added strength to has conducted a 12-month coal dust study, Queensland's performance. which finished in June last year and which While clearly the State's recent investment showed that the impact of coal loading and performance is a particular highlight of the coal usage in Gladstone had a minimal Queensland Economic Review, I recommend impact in residential areas and which also that honourable members read the entire resulted in all relevant industries identifying document, which presents an independent improvements to minimise dust; warts-and-all picture of Queensland's economic has conducted an acid rain study during the conditions and prospects. period 1991 and 1993 which showed that acid rain was not a problem in Gladstone; PERSONAL EXPLANATION and Mr SLACK (Burnett) (10.06 a.m.), by conducted a measurement of chlorine at leave: On Friday, the Minister for Environment Yarwun from 1990 to 1991, in response to and Heritage tabled a letter from an officer of her community concerns over the department outlining his version of a telephone establishment of ICI and Minproc plants in conversation that I had with him. I dispute the the region, in which no detectable accuracy of the officer's statement, particularly in measurements of chlorine were recorded. relation to his claim that I indicated that I was, as In short, all the air quality monitoring data he says, "political pointscoring". My recollection collected and analysed by the Department of is that I understood the person at the other end Environment and Heritage over several years of the line to say, "This is political, isn't it?", and I has shown that air quality in Gladstone is healthy responded, "Yes, of course it is political", and well within national guidelines. meaning that the whole issue was political and had political ramifications. That is entirely different from "political pointscoring". 2. Dawson Highway, Gladstone I certainly do not recall the word Mr BENNETT asked the Minister for "pointscoring" being used. Even if it was, my Transport and Minister Assisting the premier on reply was not intended to convey that I was Economic and Trade Development— merely pointscoring, as the seriousness of the "What is the State Government doing matter went far beyond pointscoring. to improve access and safety for motorists along the Dawson Highway through Gladstone?" QUESTIONS UPON NOTICE Mr HAMILL: As part of the Department of 1. Air Quality Monitoring, Transport's road strategy for the Gladstone area, Gladstone/Calliope progressive upgrading along the Dawson Mr BENNETT asked the Minister for Highway will occur over the next few years in Environment and Heritage— order to bring the highway up to four-lane "What are the results of air quality standard. Already, works to a value of $943,000 monitoring by her department in the were completed at the Briffney roundabout in Gladstone/Calliope region?" June 1991, and further upgrading—which included four laning between Blain Drive and Ms ROBSON: I thank the honourable Phillip Street at a cost of $808,000—was member for the question. The Department of completed in August 1993. Environment and Heritage conducts and has Legislative Assembly 7033 22 February 1994 I am pleased to inform the honourable This ensures that disruption to the school losing member that upgrading of the Chapman entitlement is minimised and the departmental Drive/Harvey Road/Dawson Highway officer holding the position is given an intersection—including the construction of a opportunity to consider where they wish to be transferred at level. roundabout—at an estimated cost of $700,000 should commence in August this year. This In addition, the Member should also be aware intersection has been recognised as a major that Deputy Principals only take up duty at the beginning of each school semester. Again, as problem for some time. Given the proximity of these positions are likely to be filled by a schools in the area, these works will make a classroom teacher being promoted it is not in the substantial contribution to enhancing road safety interests of students or the school to remove the for both motorists and pedestrians. promoted officer in the middle of the semester. The Queensland Government will spend In the case of Robina State School the $5.8m on the construction and upgrading of positions, created in September 1992, could not roads in the Gladstone area this financial year. I have been permanently filled until the beginning welcome the honourable member's continued of the 1993 school year at the very earliest. I commitment to the promotion of road safety in understand that two competent officers have been acting in these positions since their his electorate. creation. There were two attempts to permanently fill 3. School Principals and Deputy these positions through transfer at level, Principals however no suitable officers were identified for the positions on these occasions. Mr QUINN asked the Minister for Education— Immediately following the second unsuccessful attempt to transfer an officer to the school at "With reference to his claim that level, the Department advertised the positions principals and deputy principals are for appointment.